Clark blog: Nothing settled on Winston's NFL future

During the pre-game coin toss, Jameis Winston gave opposing players a tough guy pose. Jameis Winston led the Garnet team to a 31-14 win in the Spring Game on Saturday afternoon, April 12, 2014.(Photo: Mike Ewen/Democrat)Buy Photo

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On Wednesday night, Jameis Winston's father, Antonor, told AL.com, "We want Jameis to succeed with one more year in baseball and two more years in football. We've never strayed from our plan that he is going to be in college until he gets that degree."

My response: I've never strayed from my plan to become the best-looking sportswriter in the world, but some things just don't work out in the end.

It's not that I believe Antonor is lying. I think he truly believes what he's saying. But we're also in the middle of June. Eleven months before the draft and two and half months from the start of the 2014 season. Things change over the course of time. Especially when millions of dollars start creeping closer and closer.

I think most of us believe, even after reading Antonor's words, that Winston will be entering the NFL Draft after his sophomore season. We're realists. That's a ton of money. Life-changing money. And not many 21-year-olds turn it down so they can go back to playing for free at a university.

But it has happened. Marcus Mariota, Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Matt Leinert all turned down millions to return to school for another year. Tim Duncan, incredibly, played all four years at Wake Forest. So did Peter Warrick right here. It's by no means an impossibility that Winston plays two more at Florida State.

Maybe a college degree really is that important to him and his family? And maybe he wants to go down as the best college football player of all time? Maybe he wants to be the first person to win three Heisman Trophies? Who knows what his motivations truly are? Not you. And certainly not me.

So here's my advice. Just enjoy 2014. Don't worry about the draft. Don't worry what he says about it or what his dad says about it. Or what Jimbo Fisher says about it. Whatever happens after the season happens. If you only get to cheer on Jameis Winston for two years ... well, that's two more years than everyone else in the country got.

And if he comes back for his junior year? Well, then just count your blessings. Not only do you get to enjoy watching him rifle TD passes for another season, but you'll get to read the work of the best-looking sportswriter in the world!